As I read Isocrates' work, I saw a lot of his influence on education.
One thing that always bothered me about teaching secondary school was that, though a lot of administrators talked about doing research-based practice, they were hesitant to test new practices that had not been synthesized by their M.Ed. or Ed.D. programs. They were, in other words, not so interested in breaking new ground educationally as they were with matching their practice to the culture of their vocational degree.
Now, I'm not at all saying this is a bad thing. In fact, it's the only practical option for teachers/administrators who have kids, hobbies, or a night life. Retrospectively, I see that I was in a peculiar position in secondary education as a 'drifter' with philosophical aspirations.
Isocrates seems like he has adopted a lot of Socratic thought and that he's synthesizing it for pedagogy. He insists that philoric (philosophy/rhetoric) is a knack, but he is interested in developing that knack in those who have it. And, he believes all people can get better by way of education, just as a trained animal can. But, the knowledge he imparts is speculation, as though his pedagogy is 'just the best we can do'. In this regard, he seems to have resigned his position to those who have preceded him, much like many secondary teachers as they deploy curriculum and pedagogy.